The Suite Life of Zack & Cody is an American sitcom created by Danny Kallis and Jim Geoghan. The series was first broadcast on Disney Channel on March 18, 2005, with 4 million viewers, making it the most successful premiere for Disney Channel in 2005. It was one of their first five shows available on the iTunes Store. The series was nominated for an Emmy Award three times and was nominated for a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award three times. The show was also a long-standing staple of the now defunct ABC Kids Saturday morning block on ABC.

The Suite Life spawned a sequel series, also starring the Sprouse twins in their respective roles as Zack and Cody, called The Suite Life on Deck, which aired on the Disney Channel from 2008 to 2011. A TV movie based on both series, The Suite Life Movie, premiered on Disney Channel on March 25, 2011.

The show centers upon Zack and Cody Martin, twin brothers who live in the Tipton Hotel (Parody of the Hilton Hotel) in Boston where their mother, Carey, sings and performs in the hotel lounge.[1] However, it also centers upon the hotel owner's teenage daughter, London Tipton (A parody of Paris Hilton), who is very wealthy and ditzy, the hotel's down-to-earth candy-counter girl, Maddie Fitzpatrick,[3] and Mr. Moseby, the strict, dutiful, and serious manager, who is often the foil to Zack and Cody's schemes and has a liking to the piano, pocket hankies and ballet[3] The show is often set at the Tipton Hotel, but have other settings such as Zack and Cody's school, Cheevers High,[4] and Maddie and London's private school, Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow Catholic.[5] Zack and Cody often get in trouble (sometimes unintentionally) and come up with witty ideas to get out of it.

Cole Sprouse portrays Cody Martin, the calm, mature, and smarter twin. He is a "straight A" student (except for wood shop, in which he receives a C, but uses Pass Fail), making him better, academically, than his brother Zack, who gets "D"s. In the first season of the show, it was revealed that Cody is ten minutes younger than Zack.[6] Janice and Jessica seem to like Cody more (due to his sensitive nature). Cody has an on-again, off-again girlfriend named Barbara. Cody has attended a Week in Washington program and math camp. Cody is the more gentle twin compared to his brother and somehow always gets talked into going along with Zack's schemes. In The Fairest of Them All, he dressed as a girl to win money. He never drinks soda after 9:30 (unless he is at a bachelor party).

Dylan Sprouse portrays Zack Martin, the self-centered, outgoing, immature twin, who usually dresses in skater and baggy-camo clothes. At school, he is a straight "D" student, although he does well in wood shop. In the first season of the show it was revealed that Zack is ten minutes older than Cody, as he was born at 6:30 and Cody at 6:40[6] which he uses against Cody, normally telling him, since he's older, to do some sort of job that he doesn't want to do. Or in some cases, give him "brotherly" advice because, "I'm the older twin." He has a big crush on Maddie, but after the first season, he was showing this less frequently. He has also taken advantage of his teachers and has faked medical conditions like dyslexia (in Smart and Smarterer).

Brenda Song portrays London Tipton, the only daughter of Wilfred Tipton, the owner of the Tipton Hotel. London is a rich, dimwitted teenager with her own private suite at the Tipton Hotel in Boston, complete with a large wardrobe with several divisions (each with their own talking mirror) and a kitchen. London loves fashion; she only wears designer clothes and hates plaid, especially the plaid Catholic school uniforms. She does not have a nanny, or any other adult, to help her but relies on the Tipton Hotel Staff for any assistance or guidance. In the episode Forever Plaid, due to her poor attendance at her old school, she transferred to the same Catholic girls' school, "Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow," that Maddie attends. In the episode First Day of High School, London transfers to Zack and Cody's public school, "Cheevers High," due to being expelled from all of the private schools she had previously attended. She dislikes her step-moms (previous and current) and usually talks to Mr. Moseby and Maddie about her problems. When happy she always claps her hands repeatedly while saying her catchphrase, "Yay me!" She also has her own web show called Yay Me! Starring London Tipton that exists both within the program and in the real world.[7] London often refuses to go to school and even skipped detention twice. Though it seems like London may lead the ultimate rich-girl life, her childhood was not perfect. In the episode Arwinstein, she states she is allergic to lobster, although in one episode she asked Maddie for a lobster dinner. However, it is possible that she developed an allergy to lobster after the earlier episodes and before the later ones. It is also revealed in one episode that she must think about what she does before doing it. For example, she was walking through the lobby while thinking "left, right, blink, breathe" in the episode Super Twins (although this was Zack's dream). London is a shopaholic who shops to fill the void of lack of attention from her father.

Ashley Tisdale portrays Maddie Fitzpatrick, the teenage candy-counter girl at the Tipton Hotel, who throughout the series holds several other jobs/positions including a cashier at the Cluck Bucket, manager on the Camp Tipton Daycare Center, and counselor for her school's summer camp program – Camp Heaven on Earth. She also visits Antarctica during the series to help save the penguins. While she comes from a lower-class family, Maddie is very hard-working, outspoken, and intelligent. On the occasions that her selfish side comes out, she can be a bigger opportunist than London, though she always loses out when this side of her personality is shown. Like Esteban, it is shown she has an incredibly long name; in the episode "Pilot Your Own Life," it is revealed to be Madeline Margaret Genevieve Miranda Catherine Fitzpatrick.[8] She attends private school at "Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow" and later attends "Cheevers High." Maddie is London's closest friend, though London often treats her like a servant, as in the episode Footloser, usually bribing her with money. Maddie also babysat Zack and Cody throughout season one. Zack has a huge crush on her in Season One, however the crush is less visible during the other two seasons. She is a strong supporter of environmental causes. She is left-handed. It is revealed that she has asthma. She also plays volleyball as seen in the episode "Volley Dad. She appeared sporadically throughout Season 3.

Phill Lewis portrays Mr. Marion Moseby, the stern and uptight manager of the Tipton Hotel, who speaks with a large vocabulary and an urbane vernacular, and is often annoyed by Zack's and Cody's schemes. It is later revealed that his first name is Marion and the majority of the other characters often made fun of his masculinity because of his feminine name, as well as his experience as a ballet dancer. His repeated catch phrases, "Good luck with that" or "Pish posh" have become his trademark. Though he acts as though he does not care about the boys, he actually has a great deal of affection for them. For example, when Mr. Moseby took the boys to a baseball game, he caught a ball for Cody, ultimately making Mr. Moseby "the most hated man in Boston". In the episode "The Ghost of 613," it is revealed that he started out at the Tipton as a bellhop back in the 1970s, and had a "voluminous 'fro". Mr. Moseby is more of a father to London than her own, because Mr. Tipton is seldom around. Moseby even taught London how to walk, her ABCs, and tried to teach her how to drive. He cares for London and treats her like his own child. He also helps London with any problems she is having. He was also known as the "Meanager," due to his stern persona. He has an older brother named Spencer, who is a little person (played by Dana Michael Woods), who is very wealthy and lactose intolerant. His mother's' name is Beulah Moseby, who favors Spencer, but still likes Marion. His grandmother is Rose Moseby (whom Phill Lewis also plays) who visits him in the episode "Nugget of History". He has a 16-year-old niece named Nia Moseby (played by Giovonnie Samuels) who comes to stay with him during the third season and temporarily replaces Maddie as candy counter girl, while she is in Antarctica.

A running gag of the series is that Mr. Moseby often makes a fool of himself in front of people (e.g.: hitting a baby doll that wouldn't stop crying against a chair when a woman with a baby walked by), or making a sarcastic comment about himself (that the customers think is true, and not sarcastic). Another running joke is that he often just barely catches a vase on the center table of the lobby from falling, although he fails to do that in the series' finale. In his schooling he was captain of the cheerleading squad; his experience with cheering comes in useful in a cheer-off. He also was a junior putt-putt champion and taught Zack how to succeed in playing mini-golf. Mr. Moseby also took ballet lessons and is a very good dancer. When he practiced and participated in Esteban's dance school, he was temporarily partnered with Carey, but found it hard to dance with her since she is much taller than he is, which all the other characters made fun of much to his dismay. He also takes advantage of Zack and Cody in some cases, like in the episode "Heck's Kitchen" he treats them with room service so they will find a food critic. He makes a brief appearance in the Disney Channel sitcom Jessie where it is revealed that he now manages the Tipton Hotel in New York.

Kim Rhodes portrays Carey Martin, the single working mother of Zack and Cody. She is the hotel's lounge singer, who sings beautifully. She and her sons traveled to several cities before arriving at the Boston Tipton Hotel, which she called the "best gig we've ever had." She was married to Kurt Martin, but they divorced after the twins were born for unstated reasons. Arwin has made it known on several occasions that he has a massive crush on her (a crush that didn't wane during the series' course). Whenever Carey kisses Arwin, he faints. When Zack and Cody have an argument, she tells them stories about her ex-boyfriends, much to their dismay.

Throughout the series' run, Brenda Song was absent for two episodes while Ashley Tisdale was absent from twelve episodes. All other main cast members appeared in all 87 episodes.

Below is a list of cast members who have appeared in significant roles as recurring characters throughout the series. Each of the cast members listed has appeared in between 6 and 45 episodes and the list is ordered according to the number of episodes credited (highest number first).[9] A complete list of all characters who have appeared more than once is included at List of recurring characters in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.

The 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike resulted in the series being on hiatus. When the strike ended, new episodes began airing on April 19, 2008. The show eventually ended for good with its series finale, a total of three seasons and 87 episodes on September 1, 2008.[10]

The episode "That's So Suite Life of Hannah Montana" is the second part of a three-way crossover that begins on That's So Raven and concludes on Hannah Montana. Raven Baxter meets Zack and Cody as she visits the Tipton Hotel to do a photo shoot promoting a new fashion line for boys, only to have a troubling psychic vision of Cody. In the meantime, London refuses to wear one of Raven's original designs until Hannah Montana stops by and shows an interest in the fashions.

The Tipton Hotel is where Zack, Cody, Carey, and London all live, and where the majority of the other characters in the series work. It is the main setting for the series. The Tipton Hotel is located in Boston, Massachusetts. Hotel Vancouver is used for the exterior of the hotel.

In the episode "Let Us Entertain You", Zack, Cody, and Carey spent a week vacationing on board the SS Tipton. It is also the setting of the sequel series, The Suite Life on Deck. The first time the SS Tipton is referenced is in the episode, "To Catch a Thief". While Maddie talks to London on the phone a life preserver with the words "S.S. Tipton" can be seen in the background.

In the scene outside of the school where a few students are walking between two buildings shows "The Mall" area that's located in Lincoln Park High School, in Chicago, Illinois. Some of the students that attend Buckner were Max, Bob, and Agnes. Carey would come sit outside of the detention area while Zack was being punished. She said when she was outside the principal's office at Cheevers High that, "Thanks to Zack, I knitted 32 sweaters and an afghan."

Maddie and Mary Margaret (Monique Coleman) attended this private school in season one. Later in season two, Corrie (Vanessa Hudgens) and Leslie (Kaycee Stroh) were added to the minor cast, with London also attending the school in season two. In season three, London, Maddie, and Leslie no longer attend Our Lady. External shots of Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrow Catholic School are of University College at the University of Toronto in Canada.

Paul Revere Mini Mart

Zack and Cody work at the Paul Revere mini mart for the manager, Wayne Wormser. The mini mart's motto is, "The savings are coming! The savings are coming!" It is across the street from another mini mart with a patriotic name and theme, The Betsy Ross Stop and Shop, which is run by Wormser's business enemy and fierce rival.

Camp Heaven on Earth

The summer camp where Maddie works over the summer. The only part of the camp shown is the cabin in which Maddie and the young girls stay.

Cheevers High School

Where Zack, Cody, London, Maddie, and Nia attend along with other students including Barbara, Bob, and Mark. This setting was used in "Lip Synchin' in the Rain," "First Day of High School," "Orchestra," and "Benchwarmers." John Marshall High School (Los Angeles, California) is shown in a snapshot as Cheevers High School.

Other places in Boston

Scenes also take place in several other places in Boston, including Fenway Park, a movie theater, Maddie's apartment, the local shopping mall, a bowling alley (The same bowling alley was used to film a scene from the Hannah Montana episode, "People Who Use People"),[12] a miniature golf course, Kurt's apartment, Mr. Moseby's condo, the Goose Lodge, Liberty Park, an apartment where Maddie and her friends painted for a poor family for community service, Arwin's apartment, camp Knock-a-Number, the forest that has Merele's cabin, Kurt's tour bus, the shop where Maddie demanded London give her inhaler, an art museum, a dance club, an alley with a garbage container, a pizza restaurant, Theo's home, the "Risk It All" studio, the Cluck Bucket, an aptitude company, and the restaurant where Wayne "dates" London. There are even two episodes that take place in Hollywood, which includes a movie studio, LAX, a beach, Sunset Blvd, Hollywood Blvd, and the Tipton Los Angeles.

The opening title sequence to the show begins with a shot of the Tipton Hotel's ground floor exterior, which then zooms to a window on what is presumed to be the 23rd Floor of the hotel (where Zack, Cody and Carey's suite is), which then displays clips from various episodes (which were updated for each season), with five clips featuring each cast member being shown after the computerized Tipton hotel exterior shoots from window to window. The sequence then closes with the show's title logo (a door plaque with the words "The Suite Life" with a piece of paper with the words "of Zack and Cody", made to look as if drawn by differently colored crayons, attached to it), which was accompanied by the Disney logo atop the title logo for the third season (all Disney Channel sitcoms made from 2007 onwards feature the Disney logo above the title logo). Starting with season two, the cast members and creators' names were displayed with a yellow glow around the text.

The Suite Life on Deck is a sequel to The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, that debuted on Disney Channel on September 26, 2008, set on a cruise ship with Zack, Cody, and London attending a semester-at-sea program, while Mr. Moseby manages the ship. Debby Ryan joins the cast as Bailey Pickett, who becomes Zack and Cody's friend (and Cody's girlfriend) and London's friend and roommate.[13] The series also introduces Doc Shaw as Marcus Little, a former superstar who lost his fame after his voice changed. While an attempted spin-off, Arwin!, which was to star Selena Gomez and Brian Stepanek, was not picked up by Disney Channel,[14]The Suite Life on Deck skipped the pilot process and went straight to the series.

In 2005, ABC's child block ABC Kids aired The Suite Life of Zack and Cody until its closing in 2011. Then it become Toon Disney's first live-action comedy program in 2008. After Toon Disney's closing, they showed reruns on Disney XD. As of June 22, 2015, re-runs air on Disney Channel from 1-2 am eastern and from 4-5 am eastern. As of Fall 2015, re-runs air on Disney Channel at 1:30am eastern and 4:30am eastern.